Composer · fl. early 17th c.
Giulio Severino
Biography
Giulio Severino,
(b Naples; d before 1602). Italian lutenist and composer. He was a sufficiently well-known player to be mentioned, together with his father Vincencello and his brother Pompeo, by Cerreto in 1601 as being among the ‘outstanding lute players of the city of Naples now no longer alive’.
His works are included in Pietro Vinci’s Madrigali libro primo (Venice, 1561; ed. MRS, v, 1985) and also in two collections (156812 and 159918). One canzone francese and an intabulated madrigal are in a 16th-century manuscript lute tablature (in D-Bsb).
Cerreto also mentioned that Gioan Antonio Severino was a living lute composer; he was certainly a relative. All the musicians in this family were known by the name ‘della Viola’ and by the name of their place of origin, ‘napolitano’.